Helicopter Fails To Find Remains

An aerial search using a high-tech helicopter failed to turn up remains of any new victims of a serial killer preying on Spokane women, officials said Monday.

The joint Spokane City-County Homicide Task Force brought in the helicopter, fitted with infrared sensing devices, Thursday and Friday to search for human remains.

Task force captains Chuck Bown and Doug Silver would not comment on the search except to say that it was worthwhile because of the severity of the case. Twenty unsolved killings since 1984 are being investigated by the task force.

A serial killer is believed responsible for the recent murders of Darla Sue Scott, Shawn L. Johnson, Laurie Ann Wason, Shawn A. McClenahan and Sunny Oster, whose bodies were found in Spokane, as well as Melinda L. Mercer, whose body was found in Tacoma.

All of the women, who had ties to drugs and prostitution, had been shot and dumped in remote areas.

, DataTimes